Beth Phoenix’s ex-webmaster emailed me the following statement regarding her website being “hacked”:
I would like to issue this statement in regards to the Official Website of Beth Phoenix being hacked
There is some sites reporting that someone hacked the website, and placed the TNA logo there, other sites are reporting that it was just a disgruntled webmaster… tis is what happened
I was the webmaster for Beths Official website for its entire 9 month run, and at this point Id like to explain what has gone on. Disgruntled is only the beginning….
I approached Beth Phoenix in regards to an Official website when she was still working down in OVW before being called back up to the WWE main roster last year. I believe we launched the site sometime around April, 2007, with the full support and input of Beth herself. We spoke about how the site should be and Beth sent on some cool ideas for some video promos that I ended up making as teaser trailers for the countdown to the opening of the site.
I had told Beth that I would look after all the registration and hosting costs of the site, because I am a pro-wrestling fan, I wasnt bothered about spending some money each year to become the webmaster for Beths official website and stay in contact with her.
She wasnt the easiest to stay in touch with, even when she was still down in OVW, but I still continued on with the site. Then some of the Beth Phoenix fansites, which may I say do an excellent job, started to get some exclusive news that I felt shouldve been reported first and exclusively on Beths official site. I asked why we couldnt do it through our site, and was promised by her husband, Joey, that he would now handle reporting all news etc. to me (At this point Beth had been called back up to the main WWE roster).
We done some cool stuff with Joey, his tag-team partner Robin Knightwing, and Beths best friend, Kevin Grace, like PPV predictions etc etc. And I am grateful for their help at the time when Beth was busy on the road.
Unfortunately, once again, I was informed of new exclusive news being reported by a Beth fansite and I had had enough at this point. I was promised by Beth that she would send me on some stuff for doing the website for her for free, which I never received, when I asked about this stuff that never arrived, I received a Christmas card/photo signed by Beth, Joey & Knightwing. I was also promised that when Beth was in Belfast on tour with WWE (I live in Ireland), that she would in the least give me a phone call to say hi and thank me for doing the website, which, again, I never received that call.
I had asked Joey to send me on some photos and news that we could use as exclusives on the site, which I was promised to get, but never did, so at that point I decided to tell Joey to inform Beth the site was done, I was tired getting used while Beths official site was getting more and more popular. We had some words through email and basically I didnt like that way I was spoken to, I was told that someone my age (Im 2 years younger than Beth by the way) should be glad to be able to run her official website and be friends with and I quote the WWE Womens Champion – this was completely the end for me, sounded like winning a title went straight to someone’s ego!
I would like to point out that when I did originally close the website (in January, 2008), I publicly thanked Beth, Joey, Robin, Kevin and a number of OVW people who helped out during the course of the site on the actual website. You think this is where the story ends…. but NO!!
I was informed by a friend sometime around the end of January that when WWE switched to the new HD set on Raw that a logo I had created specifically for Beths official website was being used on her TitanTron entrance.
Upon checking this out for myself I found out that WWE had stolen the logo and been using it since their very first HD broadcast in January, 2008. To say I was annoyed was a bit of an understatement!
I immediately contacted both Beth and Joey to find out if she had given WWE permission to use the logo, or if they had simply stolen it off the website. I got no reply from either. I then sent the WWEs legal department a letter informing them of my problem with their usage of my logo, to which I also got no reply. I once again contacted Beth & Joey and pleaded with them to inform me of who gave WWE permission to use my logo, and if I didnt get a reply I would be pursuing legal action against whoever I needed to take action against, to which, surprise surprise! I got no reply.
I have consulted with a number of people, including some pro-wrestlers, and was told to pursue my legal action against WWE over the use of my logo without permission, which I am currently following up.
I would just like to say that it is very annoying and just plain disheartening that after 9 months of non-stop hard work, not to mention the amount of money spent on web hosting, registration, purchasing past DVDs featuring Beth to use on the website, that I was so blatantly used and screwed over by someone. At this point neither Beth nor Joey will answer my emails, and I was told in person at signings etc that Beth is one of the nicest people you could ever meet, well Im here to tell you that she is nothing but a total user, and the general assumption of wrestlers is that they use you until they get what they want and then drop you like you never existed.
I cannot and will not watch any of Beths stuff on tv anymore, and until this matter is resolved and I receive an apology of sorts I will continue to tell people of what Beth Phoenix is really like.
Regarding this whole site being hacked issue with the TNA logo… everyone is about 2 months off regarding this… I did place the TNA logo on the website around June, 2008, in an attempt to get Beths / WWEs attention over this matter, whether it worked or not is another discussion. I apologize to TNA if there is any issue regarding this.
Id like to thank everyone who spent the time to visit Beths website when it was active, Id also like to point out that Beth Unlimited (www.beth-phoenix.org) is the best Beth Phoenix fansite around at the moment, they do a great job over there, and beat me to the punch on news a number of times!!
Id like to hear what some people think regarding the incidents above, please feel free to contact me at : webmaster@bethphoenixglamazon.com
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